Are you experiencing knee discomfort without an injury? You are not alone. While unexpected twists, missteps, and strains can induce knee discomfort, other people experience it for no apparent reason. Let’s look at typical reasons for knee pain without damage to help you understand your difficulty. Let us throw light on this puzzling subject. Here are five potential causes of knee pain without injuries.
Bursitis
Bursitis is a common cause of knee discomfort that does not result from injury. Tiny sacs of fluid cushion the bones of the knee joint, and when infected or irritated, they can become inflamed, resulting in a condition called bursitis. This uncomfortable condition may be associated with:
- Redness
- Tenderness
- Fever
Tendinitis
Tendinitis, another prevalent cause, arises when the tendons, which connect muscles to bones, become inflamed. It is typically characterized by a dull aching in the knee that worsens with use. Tendinitis may also result in swelling and pain. While rest can occasionally relieve tendinitis, severe cases may necessitate medical treatment.
Baker’s cyst
Baker's cyst, also called a popliteal cyst, is a fluid-filled swelling in the back of the knee. It can limit movement owing to swelling and could signal an undiscovered knee injury.
Early on, you may have a Baker's cyst with no symptoms whatsoever. These fluid-filled bubbles that grow at the back of the knee can produce symptoms such as:
- stiffness
- painless swelling
- general discomfort
- a lump behind the knee that you can feel
A Baker's cyst will be significantly more visible if it ruptures or bursts. When this occurs, the fluid that fills the cyst may leak into the tissues of your leg. You may even get a sense of liquid flowing down the back of your leg.
In many situations, a popliteal cyst may resolve on its own, however, fluid may need to be evacuated from the cyst.
Osteoarthritis
Another probable reason for non-injury knee pain is osteoarthritis, which is inflammation and swelling of the knee joint. This condition is caused by knee degeneration and can be affected by:
- Poor posture
- Past injury
- Obesity and being overweight
There are four stages of osteoarthritis:
- Stage 1 (Mild): You may have early symptoms of osteoarthritis, but the cartilage is still healthy.
- Stage 2 (Moderate): You may have strong, acute symptoms. Your cartilage is showing symptoms of wear and tear.
- Stage 3 (Advanced): You may have persistent osteoarthritis symptoms, particularly when you apply weight to the afflicted joint. The joint cartilage is likewise almost entirely gone.
- Stage 4 (Severe): This is the most severe type of osteoarthritis. You might experience:
- stiffness, severe pain, and inflammation
- joint instability, like sudden locking or buckling
- decreased range of motion
- other symptoms, like muscle weakness, bone spurs, and joint deformity
If you have stage 4 osteoarthritis, you will most certainly require surgery to alleviate your symptoms and improve your mobility, function, and quality of life.
Rheumatoid arthritis
This inflammatory illness is similar to osteoarthritis, but it is not always limited to a single joint and is characterized by stiffness, swelling, and pain. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) develops when the immune system erroneously assaults healthy tissue. This affects the lining of the joints in the body, resulting in pain in various body areas.
There is presently no cure for RA, but numerous treatments can help control symptoms, reduce joint deterioration, and promote clinical remission.
Conclusion
The knees are one of the most complex joints in our bodies. With so many moving parts and accompanying ligaments, tendons, and muscles, you are likely to have knee discomfort even if you are not injured. If you are unsure about the cause of your knee discomfort, you should contact the best knee injury specialist to receive a proper diagnosis. A skilled doctor should assist you in understanding how your body works and provide you with the knowledge you need to deal with unexpected knee discomfort so you may return to the activities you enjoy.
I am Amelia Grant, journalist, and blogger. I think that information is a great force that is able to change people’s lives for the better. That is why I feel a strong intention to share useful and important things about health self-care, wellness and other advice that may be helpful for people. Being an enthusiast of a healthy lifestyle that keeps improving my life, I wish the same for everyone.
Our attention to ourselves, to our daily routine and habits, is very important. Things that may seem insignificant, are pieces of a big puzzle called life. I want to encourage people to be more attentive to their well-being, improve every little item of it and become healthier, happier, stronger. All of us deserve that. And I really hope that my work helps to make the world better.